st: Re: Fwd: AW: Really basic question

Ok, several things as before. You seem to be using a version of Stata other
than 10, which you should disclose beforehand. That being the case, I am
unable to comment on older versions.

The do-files have been around long enough for basics to remain stable,
though. So: you see the

run "C:\DOCUME~1\TEDFUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\STD02000000.tmp"

message, but the auto dataset is now loaded into memory, right? And it was
not there before. So something did happen. Add the line "describe" to this,
and Stata will describe the contents of its memory after opening the
do-file.

If your version does not support the -estat- family of commands, run
*******
sysuse auto, clear
regress price weight turn rep78
test _b[turn]==2
********
and see what happens.
HTH
Martin
_______________________

Well, several things really. First, type -doedit- and you get a window
that

lets you store a basic text file which you can subsequently -run- by going
to "Tools- Run".

I can open the window that Martin refers to.

Type, for instance, -sysuse auto, clear- in there and see
what happens when you -run- that.

All I get is:
. run "C:\DOCUME~1\TEDFUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\STD02000000.tmp"
I don't know what it means. I doesn't seem very interesting.

Now you argue that you do know how to operate Stata from the dialog boxes.
If that is true, then you can simply copy from Stata`s review window via

right-click and paste into the editor opened via -doedit-. Assemble a few
of

your commands there, and -run- them and see what happens.

I'm obviously very dense. I found the review window, but the right click
only gives me two options:

Save review contents...
Font...

When I select "Save review contents...", it tries to save it to a file on
my hard-drive, as opposed to

allowing me to paste it into my editor.
Please see one more comment below.

Even easier: Choose your commands that you want in the command file (hold

down ctrl while selecting so you can select non-contiguous areas of
commands

in the review window), right-click and select "Send to Do-File Editor".
What I pick up between the lines in your post is that you think a do-file

must have some "magic" component which makes it a do-file. But it is
usually
no more than a collection of Stata commands, interspersed with comments
(add
"// " to the beginning of a line). when you save it (File-Save as), the
file

extension ".do" is appended, but that is it, really...

All this advice is assembled in -help contents_programming_dofiles-, BTW.
If
you want examples of professional do-files, try the collections of data
that

come with Stata Press books, for instance
http://www.stata-press.com/data/mus/mus.zip
Finally, let me give you an example so you can get started faster. Copy it
into the window opened by -doedit- and -run- and see how that works out...
*******
sysuse auto, clear
regress price weight turn rep78
test _b[turn]==2
estat hettest
*******

I tried this, and all I got was:
unrecognized command: estat

I am forwarding this to the list. Feel free to reply to the list, making
sure that you post as "text-only" along the way...
HTH
Martin
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Ted Fuller [mailto:fullertd@vt.edu]
Gesendet: Freitag, 20. Februar 2009 18:19
An: Martin Weiss
Betreff: Really basic question
Martin,
I have a really basic question.
I am used to using Stata with dialog boxes, but I think it would be
useful to use command files.
For the life of me, I can't figure out how to do that by reading the
documentation available in the "help"
EG Help - Contents - Basics - Syntax.
Actually, I think I could figure out how to write (most of) the
commands, but I can't figure out where to store them. Then, having
stored them, I'm not sure how to tell Stata to run just a few lines
that of code that I have stored.
Can you give me some pointers?
Thanks!
Ted Fuller
Theodore Fuller
Department of Sociology (0137)
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Phone: 540/231-8969